Bringing the Rugby World Cup 2015 to Life in Your School
Secondary schools throughout the country are being urged to make use of an interactive and innovative website designed to bring Rugby World Cup 2015 to life – a project led by the RFU in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust and England Rugby 2015.
Designed by a group of teachers, the site is packed with resources across a whole range of subjects and offers ideas and materials to incorporate rugby into your teaching as part of the build-up to the tournament.
Visit www.englandrugbyteachersresource.com. (please register to view all the materials).
The site is based around the RFU’s core values – Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship. It offers creative ways in which teachers can apply each of those values in meaningful ways which will benefit their students across the curriculum.
RFU Rugby Development Director Steve Grainger said: “This is an exciting project to help us raise awareness of rugby union in schools and inspire more young people to play the game or be involved in the sport in other ways.
“Our aim is to help them feel part of the excitement that hosting RWC 2015 will bring to this country and to have a real connection to the sport in the build-up to the tournament.
“This new website will give schools access to a whole range of educational materials and ideas which can bring the game to life in imaginative ways. We are proud of the values that our sport promotes and we hope this website will help teachers to encourage them in all areas of school life.”
The website was officially launched at Wilmslow High School by England 2015 Ambassador Will Greenwood. It was unveiled alongside the School Rugby Ambassador Programme (you can read more about this on the Youth Sport Trust website). The School Rugby Ambassador programme will develop young leaders in secondary schools across the country to become School Rugby Ambassadors for Rugby World Cup 2015.
These ambassadors will use their new leadership and communication skills to inform and excite pupils about rugby and Rugby World Cup 2015 through events, assemblies, competitions, and whole school engagement within their own school and surrounding primary schools. Through national newsletters and competitions, the programme will recognise and reward School Rugby Ambassadors - bringing them closer to the action.
Both this initiative and the website are integral parts of a wider young people’s programme being developed by the RFU, England Rugby 2015 and the Youth Sport Trust to increase awareness and engagement around next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Will Greenwood, a World Cup winner in 2003, added: “Rugby World Cup 2015 offers us the perfect chance to engage young people across the country in grassroots Rugby and the Teachers website and School Rugby Ambassador programme will be driving forces in helping to develop the sort of enthusiasm that will encourage all schools to take up this great opportunity to support the Tournament and leave a legacy for the game.”